


Quoth the Raven

by yeolakkuma



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fantasy, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 17:32:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12487096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeolakkuma/pseuds/yeolakkuma
Summary: "Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—Only this and nothing more.”





	Quoth the Raven

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt # : 421 - written for EXO University Round 2
> 
> a/n: thank you to the prompter for a wicked awesome prompt. thanks to my beta for putting up with my constant nagging and overuse of '...' in my work. and a big thank you to the mods who put up with me going over my extension and whining about not being able to finish. this is not my typical work but i kicked its ass if i say so myself.
> 
> ps - movie quotes, books, and 'The Raven' belong to their respective owners. No infringement is intended.

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

“Junmyeon, it is absolutely okay that you are different.”

 

With a reassuring hand on his shoulder from Sehun, Junmyeon smiled and shook his head. He was indeed different, but not in the sense that people thought. In a school for all manners of mythological beings, Junmyeon was the only one without an animal form. He was not a hybrid, nor was he any sort of anything. Plainly, he was pure and simply … Human.

 

He was called a ‘late bloomer’ or sometimes more derogatory terms that meant ‘a person without a manifestation’. There were few who truly understood Junmyeon. Like Sehun, who didn’t have a manifestation until they graduated from high school. One night he felt it, the surge, and he transformed into a massive grey wolf. Junmyeon thought his form was magnificent compared to others who only changed into things like penguins or lizards.

 

“Don’t worry too much about it. I’m sure that with all the classes you’re taking you won’t even have time to think about a manifestation.”

 

Another comforting hand from Chanyeol made Junmyeon relax that much more. He had piled on classes so that he would think less about his manifestation or lack thereof. Junmyeon neglected to fill in one or two electives but that was okay. The school would put him in whatever would be best for his major.

 

“Yeah, sure. You can say that. Your forms are literally terrifying. You turn into a wolf, and you turn into a white tiger. I’ll probably turn into a soft, fuzzy little bunny rabbit,” Junmyeon rolled his eyes and entered the classroom to see the big, bold letters on the chalkboard.

 

**_Therianthropy 101:  The study and understanding of your manifestation_ **

 

 _Great_. A class that he wouldn’t need to pay too much attention too, because well, he didn’t have a manifestation to worry about. The teacher though was starting to catch Junmyeon’s attention as he looked him over several times. Professor Zhang Yixing was one of the youngest professors on campus. He graduated earlier than the rest of his class and at the top no less. He was also very handsome. The only thing no one knew about him? His manifestation.

 

It was a mystery to everyone. The young professor had many unique quirks and everyone talked about how he was a great teacher. But, the secrecy of his animal form was what everyone usually talked about.

 

“Good morning, students. Please take a seat.”

 

Professor Yixing smiled and Junmyeon found himself smiling too. There was something comforting in his smile. Junmyeon continued to gaze for a bit longer than necessary.

 

“Take a damn picture, Junmyeon!”

 

As he snapped back to reality and looked around he noticed his friends laughing at him. His face turned a bit red as Chanyeol slapped him on the back a few times. Junmyeon looked back up to sneak a glance at his professor and he grinned. Professor Yixing had caught Junmyeon staring but didn’t seem to mind too much. He laughed as he turned toward the chalkboard and Junmyeon liked the way his cheeks were full and his dimple deepened. Junmyeon might have been ogling him a bit and the teacher caught him red handed on the first day of class.

 

_Wonderful._

 

The lecture lasted way longer than Junmyeon would have liked. It was mostly information about the class, future lessons, and supplies they would need to bring in the next week. Professor Yixing noted that he liked to make classes short and to the point, that this went on for too long. Junmyeon enjoyed that. He wasn’t much for boring discussions about the philosophical reasons someone had one manifestation or another. Professor Yixing closed the class turning around and saying something that made everyone stare at him like he had two heads.

 

“Remember everyone, bird watching goes both ways.”

 

Junmyeon thought this was rather odd but said nothing. In fact, Junmyeon laughed inwardly. He enjoyed bird watching. It was one of his secret hobbies. Mostly though, he enjoyed watching the one raven he saw flying over town every day. The first time he saw it was the beginning of the summer, and then he frequently saw it flying around town after that. It was odd that he would say something like that, but then again, Professor Yixing was a bit of an oddball.

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

Textbooks and notes littered the desk in Junmyeon’s room as he sat back in his chair thinking about his first day of school. It wasn’t much, but there were a few things he needed to sort through and he needed to jot down his schedule. Fees due here. A test here. Report cards here. He took a deep breath and rose from the chair, walking toward the balcony door. It was open wide and the fresh afternoon air was making its way into Junmyeon’s small room. Mesmerized by the setting sun, Junmyeon never noticed the large raven sitting on the railing. It squawked and Junmyeon jumped into the air startled.

 

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise, no?”

 

Junmyeon directed his attention to the raven on the banister. It sat quietly beside him as if gazing into the sun himself. Junmyeon had to admit … It was rather lovely with the pink and purple hues mixed with the orange glow of the sun.

 

“The school year has just begun and I’m actually rather excited. Then again I’m also not. I haven’t developed a manifestation… only a small crush on one of my professors.”

 

The raven continued to sit content on the balcony as Junmyeon spoke. For some reason, he found the silence rather comforting. The bird adjusted on the rail, before Junmyeon just decided to keep speaking to it.

 

“I have no idea when I’ll actually manifest. My mom didn’t until after college. And well, dad … He was an early bloomer. So, why haven’t I? Sehun has a magnificent form and so does Chanyeol. I wish I knew when I would…”

 

Junmyeon trailed off as the raven tilted its head up at him. He furrowed his brow and stared carefully. The twinkle in the raven’s eyes was familiar. He had seen it somewhere before, but where?

 

“Are you… Are you in a zoomorphic form?”

 

Junmyeon watched as the raven flapped its wings and took a step closer. His eyes grew wide at the realization that he was actually talking to a person in their manifestation form. A stranger was on the railing of his balcony listening to him talk about his life.

 

“Oh God. I’m talking to an actual person and not a bird. Who are you? Do I know you? I confessed about my crush… Oh, God. Please, don’t say anything if we know one another. I don’t want him to know!”

 

The raven settled and moved a bit closer. Junmyeon again recognized the comforting gaze in the raven’s eyes. He took a deep breath and dropped his shoulders before speaking again.

 

“You know, it’s a bit comforting actually not knowing who you are. Talking to a stranger is sometimes easier than talking to friends. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t want to, but will you visit me again, soon?”

 

The raven lowered its head in silent acknowledgment and Junmyeon took that for an answer. Another moment passed and he realized that it was getting a bit darker. The raven squawked and took off. For some reason, Junmyeon could only smile as it flew away into the sky.

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

“You know reading all of these books isn’t going to make you change, right?”

 

Junmyeon looked up from his book to see a smiling face sitting down across from him in the library. Jongin, another classmate, was setting his bag down on the table and pulling the chair out to join Junmyeon. He pulled his laptop from his bag and began to silently do his homework as Junmyeon continued to read his book.

 

_‘The Magic of Shapeshifting’ a book by Rosalyn Greene._

 

Thumbing the pages, Junmyeon was trying to understand the folklore of shapeshifting and maybe get a different perspective on why his form was not manifesting. The book went over information like the difference between forms; mental, astral, and physical. Junmyeon thought it was a good read, but maybe not as informative as he would have wanted. He needed to know if he could force his form. He would probably have to find darker works for that.

 

There was a bit of a shadow behind him and when Junmyeon looked he saw a familiar smiling face. Professor Yixing was giving him a knowing look. He glanced down at his book and blushed.

 

“It’s an okay read. You should find something more suited to your needs, Junmyeon.”

 

The way his name came off his tongue made Junmyeon blush harder. _He knew his name_. His heart was drumming in his chest as his professor set a few books down beside him. One was large and looked like an encyclopedia, the other two were smaller and paperback.

 

“C-Cryptozoology A to Z, Therianthropy: Shapeshifters in Mythology, and The Best of Poe?”

 

“Yes. I really love Edgar Allan Poe. You should relax and read it sometime. There are nearly thirty works in that small book.”

 

Junmyeon glanced at it and smiled. He chuckled inwardly at his professor's unique taste in poetry and then thanked him. As he walked away Junmyeon noticed something on the floor where he had stood. It probably came off of his shoe when he walked into the library.

 

 _A single iridescent black feather_.

 

As he twisted it between his fingers the sun bounced off of it showing off it's purple and blue sheen. Junmyeon thought it was beautiful and pressed it under the cover of ‘The Best of Poe’. He tried not to laugh at the fact that ‘The Raven’ came to mind.

 

The day turned to night when Junmyeon relaxed in his bed after his trip to the library. He thumbed through the encyclopedia and actually really loved its extensive information. He decided to read the other books later on. He was starting to get tired when he heard a tapping on his balcony door. He remembered the feather and walked over unlatching it and pushing it open. It was the raven.

 

“Ah. Hello there. You’re a little late.”

 

The raven jumped from the floor to the railing and stood there gazing at Junmyeon. As he walked out he took in the night air and shivered a bit. The night was getting cooler but it was beautiful. The stars were shining bright and Junmyeon loved the dull hues of purple against the dark blue and black of the horizon.

 

“So… that crush I told you about gave me some books today. He’s rather… unique. He gave me a book with work from Edgar Allan Poe. He isn’t my favorite, but I’ll read it for him.”

 

The raven glanced up and Junmyeon made a face when he looked into the raven’s eyes. They were big and round and he felt judged. Maybe because he was a raven.

 

“Okay! I’m sorry. ‘The Raven’ is a good work from what I remember. I’ll read it. You don’t have to look at me like that.”

 

The raven turned its head and Junmyeon swore that it looked away in disgust. Like he had just insulted his favorite author. Junmyeon sighed before dropping his shoulder.

 

“Come back here. I’m sorry. Look, I know you are a person but sometimes I forget that!”

 

Junmyeon watched as the raven walked back closer this time, then it jumped and startled him. It flew up just a bit and settled on Junmyeon’s shoulder. If ravens could smile, Junmyeon would say that was the expression across his little face. As it sat there Junmyeon gazed up into the raven’s eyes. This close, they were very, very familiar and he was fighting with himself where he had seen that twinkle before. Someday he would figure it out.

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

_The term "therianthropy" comes from the Greek theríon [θηρίον], meaning "wild animal" or "beast" (implicitly mammalian); and anthrōpos [ἄνθρωπος], meaning "human being". It was used to refer to animal transformation folklore of Europe as early as 1901.[1] Sometimes the term "zoanthropy" is used instead.[2] Therianthropy was used to describe spiritual beliefs in animal transformation in a 1915 Japanese publication, "A History of the Japanese People from the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era".[3] One source, "The Human Predator", raises the possibility the term may have been used as early as the 16th century in criminal trials of suspected werewolves_. _(Wikipedia, 2017)_

 

As he stared at the computer screen Junmyeon felt tense. He was getting nowhere. Wikipedia just described what shifting was, but not how he could make it happen.

 

_Therianthropy refers to the fantastical, or mythological, ability of some humans to change into animals. (Wikipedia, 2017)_

 

 _Well, no shit_ , Junmyeon thought. He read through everything on the page. There were mentions of lycanthropy, cynanthropy, and different mentions of skinwalkers etc. He rolled his eyes and shoved his chair back a bit before sighing. Nothing was giving him the answers he wanted. Most of the articles he tried to find in the library were about dumb tabloid sightings of Sasquatch, the Yeti, or the Loch Ness Monster. He knew those people and they were not actually as frightening or laughable as the magazines portrayed them. Sasquatch was actually just a really tall guy who refused to pull his hair back. Junmyeon crossed his arms and tapped his foot. His patience was wearing thin, then the bell rang and he knew he had to pack up and head to class.

 

**_Therianthropy 101: ‘Kryptos’, ‘Zoon’, ‘Logos’_ **

 

As he sat, Junmyeon glanced at the chalkboard. He knew the words were not Korean, Mandarin, or English. He knew those languages. Maybe it was Latin. He pulled out his notebook as everyone walked into class. Chanyeol leaned over and smiled.

 

“So, have you seen Professor Yixing today?”

 

“No, why?”

 

“Oh, well. Just wait then.”

 

Junmyeon sat back in his chair and waited. Another bell rang that signified ‘you are late for class’ and Junmyeon was glad he left the library on time. He glanced up to see his professor walking out of his office. He was in loose jeans and a t-shirt with a plaid over-shirt. On the bridge of his nose were small, round frames. His hair was pushed back just a bit, but some fell to his forehead and Junmyeon has to cover half of his face. He was red as a tomato and definitely trying not to check out his teacher. But it was too late. Professor Yixing had caught him and smirked. Junmyeon closed his eyes and set his forehead to his desk. That deep dimple he had was going to be the death of Junmyeon.

 

“Hello, students. You’re probably wondering what these mean. They are Greek words.”

 

Junmyeon watched as he pointed to each one and explained them. ‘Kryptos’ meant hidden. ‘Zoon’ meant animals, and ‘Logos’ meant discourse. He then explained that in the past, Therianthropy was referred to as the science of ‘hidden animals’. The lesson went on and Junmyeon remembered some of it from the book that Professor Yixing gave to him.

 

He listened intently as the lesson continued and he dived into portions that Junmyeon had yet to get to. He was furiously taking notes and nodding his head as the lecture went on. He vaguely touched on different religions and different myths associated with certain figures. Junmyeon watched as he walked back and forth; reading from note cards and his lesson book, and then also speaking freely.

 

By the end of the class, Junmyeon had four pages of notes and was ready to dive into the other sections of the book. When his professor had stopped before the bell, he turned to look at Junmyeon and pointed his chalk at him.

 

“Mr. Kim, I’d like you to stay after class. I wish to speak with you.”

 

Everyone quietly started whispering and murmuring. Junmyeon looked to his friends who were both looking at him like he won the lottery. He swallowed hard as the bell rang and everyone escaped to their lives. As he packed his bag, Junmyeon stood and joined his professor in his office. He sat down in one of the wooden chairs as Professor Yixing wrote in his lesson plan.

 

“Did you like today’s lesson?”

 

Junmyeon looked up blearily and shook his head. _Was this really a meeting about the lesson?_

 

“Um. Yeah. I haven’t gotten to those parts but I really enjoyed it.”

 

“Good. I was hoping you would. Today’s lesson was just for you.”

 

Junmyeon watched as his professor looked up to him with a twinkle in his eyes. He swore that the same twinkle was in his raven’s eyes. The same fond look that he received when the raven perched on his shoulder. Junmyeon blushed and tried to cover his face before he was met with a boisterous laugh.

 

“You don’t have to hide your face, Junmyeon. We’re similar in age so it’s quite alright to be attracted to me.”

 

Junmyeon covered his face entirely and then peeked through his fingers to see a big smile, and a dimple, “But you’re my professor.”

 

“I understand that. You can call me Yixing. I’m not a stranger to you. Besides, I like to form personal relationships with some of my students that I connect with, especially those that… haven’t found their form.”

 

Those words made Junmyeon drop his hands. His face was no longer red, it was pale and Junmyeon felt like he was going to pass out. _How did Yixing know that he didn’t have a form?_

 

“How did you … “

 

“I overheard your conversations with your friends. I’m sorry for listening in. I didn’t find my form until later in life. Don’t be discouraged. I gave you books so that you’d maybe find some information that suited you.”

 

There was a shy smile and then Yixing slid something across the desk to Junmyeon. It was a small piece of paper with what looked like a Dewey Decimal number.

 

“This is another book I want you to look at. Please, don’t take it too seriously. It just has information that might be beneficial to you.”

 

Junmyeon took the paper and then felt the tips of Yixing’s fingers. They were warm and sent little shocks through Junmyeon’s hand. They both lingered for a moment before Yixing smiled and pulled his hand back.

 

“Junmyeon, please be careful with that book.”

 

All Junmyeon could do was nod his head as he placed the paper in his pocket. He stood up and bowed before taking his leave. Yixing put his nose back down into his book and started scratching away with his pen.

 

When Junmyeon glanced back once more he noticed something different on the bookshelf. It appeared to be a snow globe, but it had a gothic looking wooden base and a skull inside the glass. Junmyeon settled that he would try to find out what it actually was on another day. Today he needed to go to the library.

 

**~ Midnight Majesties: A How-To ~**

 

The book looked old. _Very old_. Junmyeon held it to his nose and took in the sweet aroma of vanilla and weathered leather. It had thin leather pieces wrapped around it keeping it closed. Junmyeon admired the book for its craftsmanship. But even just holding it, he felt the dark power oozing off of it.

 

This book was occult and probably belonged to someone powerful. Maybe a witch. Junmyeon knew there were legends of them. He turned the book over a few times before bringing it to the counter to check out. He got a red slip tucked into the inside he had never seen before. He wondered what it meant before shoving it in his bag and heading home.

 

When Junmyeon sat down at his desk he took the book from his bag and set it down. He removed the red card from the inside and read over what looked to be a warning.

 

_‘This book is for reference and study only. It is not to be taken lightly. This book is a work of nonfiction and contains occult material. Do not try to recreate or perform any of these spells.’_

 

The first page, Junmyeon guessed, was also another warning. It had big bold letters but Junmyeon was unfamiliar with the language. The rest of the book appeared to be in Korean and English. He could read those. Each page he turned was some form of ritual, spell, or incantation. Different things that Junmyeon stared at in awe.

 

It was a book on how to force a manifestation to develop and Yixing had recommended it to him. Junmyeon wondered if he knew the witch that wrote the book or maybe he just had a thing for old, dusty grimoires.

 

As he closed the book and looked out the window he saw the raven sitting on the rail, unmoving. It was facing toward the sun and away from the door. Junmyeon wondered how long it had sat there. Tonight he wasn’t going outside though. He was too engaged and focused on the book to do so. He would thoroughly comb through the text and see what was not too dangerous to attempt on his own, then he would make an effort to force his manifestation.

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

A few days later when Junmyeon got to school, there was a commotion in the courtyard. He saw Chanyeol over everyone in the crowd and drifted toward him. When he got there he looked over a few people to see someone in their manifestation. But, Junmyeon stared hard with eyes wide. This was no normal form.

 

Jongdae, one of their classmates, had mentioned just the day before about feeling the surge. With his affinity to lightning, it was no wonder his form would take on something spectral and charged. In front of Junmyeon was a remarkably large wolf. Jongdae was almost the same size in his animal form as Sehun and Chanyeol. His fur was blue and white, and the essence around him was electrifying. Literally. He was surrounded by buzzing and crackling bolts. It reminded Junmyeon of the Norse mythology story of the warg Sköll.

 

“Amazing, huh?”

 

Junmyeon looked up to see Chanyeol staring with a smile on his face. Junmyeon sensed the adoration in him, and maybe a little crush. It was no secret that Chanyeol liked small guys with attitudes. Jongdae fit that description perfectly.

 

Junmyeon sighed and decided to walk to class. Jongdae was just a little bit younger than him and he manifested. It was a bit discouraging to see. Tonight, he would dive further into the book and decide on which spell or incantation he would like to try.

 

The day ran on second by second. It was the slowest day to Junmyeon. He ruminated over the grimoire and what he could do to force his form. He would choose the simplest one first. While he was in his thoughts, Yixing had started class. He wasn’t aware until Yixing was standing in front of him with a quirked eyebrow.

 

“Nice of you to join us in class, Junmyeon.”

 

Junmyeon blushed and hung his head low. When he looked back up Yixing had started his lesson again, but he didn’t miss the wink Yixing shot at him. The class was short and then they had a lot of free time to go over notes and share with everyone. Yixing announced they would have a quiz soon, but that he wanted to keep everyone on the edge of their seat as to when he would do it. Junmyeon had the most notes in the class and everyone flocked to him to copy them all.

 

Yixing once again asked Junmyeon to stay after class. This time instead of a paper, he had an actual book. It was on birds. Junmyeon sat the book in his lap and looked up at Yixing inquisitively.

 

“Sorry, listening in on conversations again. You seemed down today so I wanted you to feel better. You said you liked bird watching, so this is a book on the common birds that are in this area. It’s small, but I think you’ll enjoy it.”

 

“Wow… Um, thank you. That’s really kind of you. How did you know I was upset though?”

 

“When you came into class you looked pensive. I’ve been holding onto this book for a while. I’d like it very much if you would take it.”

 

“Sure. Thank you, again.”

 

Junmyeon smiled and looked down at the book. It was a bit worn, but he appreciated the gesture. He hadn’t realized just how affected he was by seeing Jongdae’s manifestation in the courtyard.

 

“Will you tell me why you looked so bothered?”

 

Junmyeon sighed and looked up at Yixing’s concerned eyes, “Jongdae … He uh, found his form.”

 

“And that discourages you.”

 

The fact that this was a statement and not a question made Junmyeon’s shoulders drop. He was discouraged, but he had hoped it wouldn’t show that much. Yixing could read him pretty well. He took a deep breath and sighed.

 

“Yeah, it did. Sehun and Jongdae both have impressive wolf forms. Chanyeol manifests into a tiger. And here I am…”

 

“Intelligent, kind, and dedicated to your studies. You don’t need to have a manifestation to be a good person, Junmyeon.”

 

Pink started to spread across Junmyeon’s cheeks. He started smiling and couldn’t help but laugh. Yixing was so honest with his words. It was refreshing. Junmyeon nodded and then put the book in his bag. He glanced to the bookshelf and pointed.

 

“What is that?”

 

“Oh, my globe.”

 

Yixing pulled it down and turned it upended, swirling it carefully. When he sat it down Junmyeon smiled. It was similar to a snow globe, but a bit more gothic. The skull centered in the round glass was gold and rustic looking. The confetti dancing on the inside were in the shapes of birds… ravens, Junmyeon assumed. The more he thought about it the more Yixing could be the raven. But that was improbable. _Yixing was too magnificent for such an insignificant form. He should be something extraordinary_ , Junmyeon thought.

 

“It was a gift from a colleague for my birthday. It’s in October so he thought it would be funny to get something from the Halloween section. I grew fond of it after playing with it so much.”

 

Junmyeon watched the sparkling bits dance around the globe again before standing, “Thank you for the books.”

 

Yixing nodded and smiled before Junmyeon excused himself. He had a bit of happiness in his step as he went through the rest of his day.

 

The evening was too beautiful to pass up when Junmyeon settled in after his homework. He grabbed the book about birds from his bag and walked onto the balcony. He took a deep breath and watched the clouds passing by. They were moving fast and the evening breeze was cool. He stretched and then sat down leaning against one of the closed doors. Junmyeon thought it was a rather perfect afternoon. The only thing missing was a friend, then he heard that familiar squawk and smiled.

 

“Would you like to sit with me while I look at this book?”

 

The raven hopped down from the rail and walked toward him, jumping to his shoulder when it got close enough. And that’s where it stayed for the hours that Junmyeon sat on the balcony reading the book. He recognized several of the birds that were mentioned in the book. Many of them he had watched over the summer. He found some of the pages were dog-eared and laugh inwardly. Yixing must have used this book often, and must also be interested in birds.

 

As the time went on, Junmyeon started to get sleepy. The book laid in his lap untouched for several moments when he felt a slight nudge to his cheek. The raven had leaned over and pecked at him a bit to wake him up.

 

“Okay, okay. I’ll go inside. Thank you for staying with me. I’ve been really down and lonely lately.”

 

For the first time, the raven jumped to Junmyeon’s hand. He held it steady and smiled. He sighed and then walked to the railing holding the large raven.

 

“You should get home now. It’s really late and I’m guessing you need rest just as much as I do. Sleep well, my friend.”

 

With that, the raven bowed it’s body and flew into the night sky.

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

It was several days later when another commotion broke out. This time in the gymnasium. Junmyeon had just gotten dressed after his shower. He looked around the corner to see a large crowd gathering in the middle of the basketball court. As he walked up to the crowd, he started to feel angry. Another one of his friends had changed. This time it was Jongin. Chanyeol was marveling at his form with Jongdae by his side.

 

“A bear?”

 

Chanyeol nodded his head and pointed to the large animal, “Yeah, he changed about an hour ago. He’s been napping here in the gym since. Go figure, huh.”

 

Junmyeon rolled his eyes and stormed out of the gym not hearing his friends calling his name. He kept walking not knowing where his feet would take him. Junmyeon climbed a few flights of stairs to the top of one of the building and threw his bag against the concrete floor. He raked his hand through his hair as the other landed on his hip. He was so frustrated and upset. Why had his friends found their manifestations but Junmyeon couldn’t?

 

He flopped down on top of his bag and leaned back against a pipe. He could feel his emotions running high. Junmyeon hoped no one followed him. For the first time ever he was considering skipping class. And that’s exactly what he did. He skipped Therianthropy 101, Professor Yixing’s class. Maybe the young teacher would understand Junmyeon’s point of view. He was severely discouraged and uninspired.

 

Junmyeon wasn’t aware when he had closed his eyes but soft touches to his wrist woke him up. Little prickles to his skin that indicated something was crawling on him. When he opened his eyes he saw the raven. Junmyeon rubbed his eyes and blinked looking down at the almost pensive look the bird was giving him. There was something in the bird’s claw so Junmyeon lifted his arm and pulled it out.

 

_‘My office. Now.’_

 -  _ _Yixing__

 

 

 _Shit_. The raven flew away as Junmyeon whispered the profanity to himself. He was probably in trouble. Skipping classes was frowned upon. Yixing would probably make him take the lesson after school as a punishment. He pulled himself up from the ground and slung his bag over his shoulder making his way back downstairs. Yixing’s classroom wasn’t far but he knew that he needed to gather the courage to face him. Junmyeon really didn’t want to face another person disappointed in him.

 

Junmyeon contemplated the fact that the raven brought him the note. He wondered if the raven was possibly the colleague Yixing talked about. It would fit that he gave him a globe with ravens in it. Junmyeon chuckled to himself. That was a better conclusion that Yixing being the raven himself.

 

After taking a deep breath, Junmyeon knocked lightly hearing Yixing’s soft voice telling him to come in. When he took a seat he felt the feelings of worthlessness wash over him. Until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

 

“Stand up.”

 

Junmyeon didn’t lift his gaze, but he stood up and turned toward Yixing. He thought he was going to be scolded for skipping class. It wasn’t uncommon. Professors yelling at students for missing coursework and lectures. Not getting the notes or skipping a quiz could put Junmyeon’s grades behind. Instead of a bellowing voice, it was quiet whispers and a warm embrace.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

That small gesture made Junmyeon’s surface crack. He wasn’t sure if he could reciprocate but he let his head fall into Yixing’s shoulder realizing that he had already started to cry.

 

“No.”

 

“Tell me how you feel.”

 

“Insignificant. Unhappy.”

 

Junmyeon felt the embrace grow tighter around him. One of Yixing’s hands was rubbing little circles in the middle of his back. The small affection made Junmyeon bite down on his lip. He was already softly crying, he didn’t need to be hysterical.

 

“Because you haven’t found a form.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You don’t need a form to be a magnificent person, Junmyeon. You skipped class today and are behind in your studies. Today was the quiz. Now, you have to make it up.”

 

“I know, I know. But how else am I supposed to feel when everyone around me is changing and I’m staying the same?”

 

Yixing pulled back and lifted Junmyeon’s chin. It made his heart beat fast and his eyes grow wide, “You are ever changing. There is not a moment in this life you aren’t changing. Tomorrow you will not be the same person you were today.”

 

At those words, and a soft smile, Junmyeon let his hands find Yixing’s waist. It was much smaller to Junmyeon’s surprise, but Yixing felt warm. He felt the gentle glide of Yixing’s thumb across his cheek and a light chuckle escaped Junmyeon’s lips.

 

“Junmyeon, you will be okay. Even if you don’t find a manifestation, you will still be a lovely person. You will still be smart and kind. Don’t let those qualities be overshadowed by your doubts.”

 

Now, Yixing was gently cradling Junmyeon’s face. It felt incredibly intimate but for some reason incredibly familiar. Junmyeon looked into Yixing’s eyes and saw that same familiar twinkle. The bright gleam and comforting gaze that Junmyeon had grown accustomed to seeing nearly all days of the week, and not from his professor; from the raven.

 

Junmyeon’s eyebrows furrowed and he stared harder into Yixing’s eyes. He sensed that Yixing must be catching onto him trying to search his mind for an answer to an unknown question. He felt Yixing’s hand stop moving and instead, pulling him closer. They were nearly flush with Junmyeon still introspective.

 

“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

 

Junmyeon was blasted out of his thoughts and into a burst of laughter. Yixing cracked a wide smile and bubbled with laughter as well. He pulled Junmyeon into a tight hug and took a deep breath.

 

“You were too far in your thoughts. I had to pull you out somehow. That seemed to work well.”

 

“An unanswerable riddle? I think you’re mad just like that hatter.”

 

“Ah, but maybe we all are.”

 

Junmyeon melted into the embrace and let his arms wrap around Yixing. For some reason, Yixing just felt comfortable, a bit like home or hot chocolate in the winter. Junmyeon turned his head and set his cheek against Yixing’s shoulder and let him rock back and forth.

 

“Junmyeon, this isn’t uncomfortable to you is it?”

 

“No, not at all.”

 

“Good, because if you let me I would like to do it more when the semester is over.”

 

“Are you asking me on a date professor?”

 

Junmyeon giggled but then felt Yixing tense up. He pulled away slowly looking at Yixing’s blushing face. He bit down on his lip and Junmyeon thought it was incredibly cute the way his face was just a tinge pink.

 

“I want to. I really want to Junmyeon, but I have to be professional. We can’t do that while I’m still your teacher.”

 

Junmyeon looked at Yixing with surprise. This was really happening. Yixing wanted to take him on a date. All Junmyeon did was nod his head and smile.

 

“Okay. We can wait until the semester is over, Professor.”

 

Junmyeon winked and Yixing blushed harder, laughing a little and his dimple deepening just a bit. They took a step back from each other and the shyness took over, neither being able to look up. Yixing walked back around his desk and sat down. He slid a piece of paper across and cleared his throat.

 

“This is the quiz. You can quickly take it outside. It isn’t hard.”

 

The quiz was only one page, so Junmyeon thought it would be fairly easy. And it was. There were things he questioned but for the most part, the quiz wasn’t hard. It was mostly things they had already covered. That day’s lessons didn’t seem to be on it. Junmyeon finished it quickly and walked back into Yixing’s office. He slid the paper to him and then sat down. Yixing pulled a red pen from his desk and started marking it.

 

“You did well. You only missed one question but you answered the extra credit right so it evened out in your favor. Good job, Junmyeon.”

 

Yixing smiled and showed Junmyeon his paper. The question he missed was near the bottom. When Junmyeon glanced over it again he felt his eyebrows furrow. He only received partial credit for the question.

 

  1. _In Norse mythology the God Odin had several familiars, animals he kept as companions._



_Name them_.

 

Junmyeon’s eyebrows stayed furrowed. He thought he had answered the question correctly. He sat in his thought for a few moments. _Odin had two wolves, Geri and Freki. What else was missing?_

 

“You didn’t remember that Odin had two raven familiars, Huginn and Muninn.”

 

Junmyeon felt his heart stop. _Why in the world were there so many instances of ravens in his life?_ He looked back at Yixing who was just smiling innocently, too innocently for Junmyeon’s taste. He made a sly face and then sighed.

 

“Do you have a thing for ravens, Yixing?’

 

“I have a thing for birds, Junmyeon.”

 

“You know, no one knows what form you take. I’m starting to think you are trying to hint at it.”

 

Yixing just shrugged and shook his head setting the paper down, “I have no idea what you are talking about. I’m sure you have a few notes to gather from Chanyeol. You should head off.”

 

Junmyeon smiled at the goofy grin that replaced the shy smile on Yixing’s face, “Alright, alright. But I’m watching you. I remember what you said at the beginning of the semester.”

 

And in unison, they both commented, “Birdwatching goes both ways.”

 

“Good day, Mr. Kim.”

 

“Good day, professor.”

 

Junmyeon winked and grabbed his bag before heading out. He would text Chanyeol to get the notes. Maybe he had already typed them up. It would be much easier to just share a document through email than to have to write all the notes. Junmyeon considered bringing his small laptop to class next time.

 

That evening Junmyeon found himself nose deep in the grimoire. The first thing he wanted to try was a simple meditation spell. All he needed was to concentrate on animals. He thought that was easy enough, but as he sat there all he could think about was the way Yixing held him. He ruffled his hair and then closed his eyes again. Junmyeon took a few deep breaths before he centered himself again and concentrated.

 

After a few moments, Junmyeon felt like he was in a trance. He could feel himself swaying a bit thinking about different animals. He let his mind wander to wolves, tigers, foxes, and then tapping broke his concentration. Junmyeon cursed at the balcony but ultimately got up to open it. He watched at the raven jumped back up to the railing.

 

“I was trying to do something, you know.”

 

The raven cocked its head and Junmyeon swore it quirked whatever tiny eyebrow it could have. Junmyeon wasn’t having it though. He sighed before leaving the door open and sitting back down. He closed his eyes again and let his mind go back deeper.

 

He heard the flutter of wings and then peeked an eye open to see the raven staring down at the grimoire. It pecked a couple times and Junmyeon threw his head back in irritation.

 

“What? You want me to flip pages? Or like what? You can’t speak to me so tap however many pages I should turn and which way?”

 

The raven hopped to Junmyeon lap and tapped five times on the right side of the book, so he turned five pages to a spell. It was one that was dog-eared. Junmyeon wanted to try it on another day but it seemed the raven had other plans. As he looked it over he noticed the ingredient.

 

_A piece of parchment, easy. A white candle, easier. A black raven feather._

 

Junmyeon quirked an eyebrow but then grabbed the book Yixing had given him of Poe’s works and pulled the single feather tucked away inside. He remembered how it remained when Yixing had walked away. Junmyeon glanced between the feather and the raven, then he held it toward the raven noticing that the colors were very similar.

 

“This is yours, isn’t it? Why was it left … Hmm.”

 

The raven perched itself on Junmyeon’s shoulder and chirped. It actually chirped. Junmyeon looked in confusion but then glanced down at the book again.  The grimoire’s instructions were simple: light the candle, write down your desire on the parchment, and hold the feather above the candle until it ignites. Junmyeon did just that with the raven still perched on his shoulder.

 

After waiting a few moments, the feather ignited and Junmyeon watched as it burned up between his fingers. When it reached the end he thought it would burn, but instead, it singed and a puff of iridescent smoke circled his hand. It stayed in his palm and he watched as it danced around his hand. Junmyeon grinned and stared at the smoke dissipating into blues and purples.

 

“That was cool.”

 

Junmyeon looked down to the grimoire and glanced over the spell once more to see that it said it can take a few days to work. _That’s okay_ , Junmyeon shrugged, because he had time. He had been waiting this long already, what was a few more days?

 

The raven hopped down from his shoulder and waddled toward the door. Junmyeon followed and walked out to see that it was very dark and possibly later than what he thought. As he stood he figured he should thank the bird for helping him and suggesting the same spell he wished to do himself.

 

“Uh, I guess thank you for helping me. I don’t know if this will work but thank you anyways.”

 

Junmyeon smiled and watched as the bird dipped its head and then flew off. As Junmyeon stared into the sky he wondered who the raven was. He was starting to get a bit more curious.

 

_What if the visitor really was Yixing?_

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

A week passed and Junmyeon sat at his desk completely frustrated and bitter. Nothing had happened after the spell. Nothing at all. The grimoire was sitting open and he was thumbing through more of the dog ears trying to find anything. He wanted something drastic, something dangerous. Yixing had warned him again earlier in the week that the book was dangerous and he should only do things that were within his limits.

 

He didn’t take that word of caution. Instead, Junmyeon found the dark portions of the book and started to read those sections. Different spells that had consequences up to and including death. Junmyeon didn’t care. He folded the corner of three or four before decided to take a break and read something else.

 

Junmyeon picked up ‘The Best of Poe’ and laid in bed. He opened it to “The Raven” and began reading. Soon though, he drifted off to sleep not realizing how overworked and exhausted he was.

 

When he woke the balcony door had been opened. He also looked around to see his room was a mess. There were papers everywhere and clothes across the floor. Junmyeon wiped his forehead only to come back with his hand damp. He sat up confused and dizzy wondering what in the world he had dreamed, but he couldn’t remember.

 

As he calmed down he saw the grimoire open on the desk. He could have sworn that he closed it when he decided to read in bed. He swung his legs over the side and walked over glancing down at the clutter and turmoil that was now his room. The grimoire itself was opened to something not folded at the corner, which meant Junmyeon thought it was too dangerous to attempt.

 

He gasped and stood wide-eyed at the grimoire. It was open to something Junmyeon hadn’t even seen in the late nights he read through it. It wasn’t a spell or an incantation like the rest of the book. It was just a page with very few words and a few symbols. As his finger grazed over the words he felt chills running down his spine. This page had no warning for obvious reasons.

 

_If one feels they have reached the end of their wits, simply follow these instructions. This is not to be taken lightly. This can and will cause death in some cases._

 

_Draw the following insignia on a black candle with white chalk. Light the candle and find a high place._

 

Junmyeon stopped at the last word and shivered. This was extremely dangerous. He blinked a few times before taking a deep breath and finishing the page.

 

_Jump._

 

 _Drastic_ . Junmyeon thought this was pretty extreme, but the thought of this working actually thrilled him. _What if instead of falling, he flew?_ Junmyeon was aware this was more than dangerous, it was downright life-threatening. But what if he manifested? All of the what-ifs started to brew until he finally snapped.

 

He was doing this. He grabbed a black candle from his closet and a piece of sidewalk chalk from a box on his desk. He drew the insignia and decided that the balcony was the best place to do this. He grabbed the box of matches and stood with the candle in one hand. He took a deep breath and knew this could really hurt him. The distance might not be far enough, but if he landed wrong he could break something. He was starting to talk himself out of it but then he shook his head. He wanted to force his form and this would be his last attempt.

 

Junmyeon struck the match across the box and lit the candle, setting it down on the table outside. Shaking, he took a deep breath and pulled himself up to the railing, never noticing the visitor in the dark. Before he could close his eyes and fall he was being held around the waist and yanked down from the ledge.

 

“Junmyeon, what are you doing? Are you crazy!?”

 

This voice was familiar. It had never scolded him like this though. It was always gentle and warm, always a comfort. There were arms wound tightly around his waist and a face between his shoulder blades. Wide-eyed and unsure of who was behind him Junmyeon stood still letting the stranger hold him.

 

“What do you think would happen if you… if you jumped from here? You could have hurt yourself or worse. Why did you think this was a good idea?”

 

“Yixing?”

 

“Junmyeon, please. You really scared me.”

 

As he turned Junmyeon realized the person holding him was indeed Yixing. He looked frightened and horrified. Then it clicked that he just witnessed him trying to jump from the balcony, possibly assuming he was trying to commit suicide.

 

“No, Yixing, it was from the grimoire.”

 

“I know! I’ve read that thing a dozen times.”

 

The hands that were on his waist were suddenly cupping his face. Junmyeon was all too aware that he was emotional, they both were. Yixing was biting his bottom lip hard and his eyebrows were deep with anger.

 

“I told you to be cautious and you didn’t listen.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Junmyeon suddenly felt a pull on his face and his forehead met Yixing’s. It was then he realized they were both crying. Junmyeon from disappointment, Yixing from fear. They stayed that way for several moments before Junmyeon wrapped his arms around Yixing’s waist pulling him close.

 

“I’m so sorry. You’ve been watching me this entire time. I’m sorry.”

 

“I wanted to tell you. It was better that I didn’t. But I couldn’t let you jump.”

 

Yixing’s hands were still on Junmyeon’s face wiping away the slow tears that fell from time to time as they held each other. But Junmyeon knew that he was angry. It was in his eyes. They didn’t speak for a long while before Yixing pulled back just a little.

 

“Promise you won’t do this anymore. None of it. No more trying to force your manifestation that you may not even have. It’s time to face that you just might be simply a human. Do you know what it would do to me if you would have… if you would have.”

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

“Let me show you then.”

 

Junmyeon felt the distance between them close and Yixing’s lips on his. He felt Yixing sobbing through their soft kisses. The hands that were cupping his face grew tight around his jaw as Yixing help him closer.

 

“Do not leave my side, Junmyeon. That is all I want. Only this, and nothing more.”

 

“Do you think _now_ is the time to quote Poe?”

 

“You’re ruining the moment, but I’m glad you memorized it.”

 

Junmyeon laughed through his slowing tears and sniffled when Yixing smiled wide. For a time Junmyeon was lost in the moment, only seeing and feeling Yixing. The air around them was cool as the night slowly crept by. It was only when Junmyeon wanted to pull away that he noticed they were mid-air above the balcony. He tried not to panic but then he held onto Yixing tight.

 

“What the hell?”

 

“Uh, Junmyeon. I can’t fly without wings so this isn’t me.”

 

“Why would it be me?”

 

“Junmyeon… have you ever considered that you might not have a zoomorphic form because you’re a witch? Concentrate. Will us down to the balcony.”

 

“A what? Do what!?”

 

Junmyeon swallowed hard and closed his eyes. He listened to the soft praise and instruction from Yixing before he felt them touch the floor of the balcony. It had worked. Junmyeon watched as Yixing picked up the black candle and blew out the flame. He walked inside and Junmyeon followed. Of course, Yixing already knew his room well.

 

“It feels different to be here and no be in the form of a raven.”

 

“What feels weird is that you knew everything and didn’t tell me. I even…”

 

“Yeah, I know. You gossip like a little girl, but I love you for it.”

 

“So…a witch?”

 

Yixing walked to the desk and picked up the grimoire turning the pages to the front of the book. He rolled his eyes and smirked to himself before pulling the card and showing it to Junmyeon.

 

“This is overdue.”

 

Junmyeon deadpanned as Yixing laughed at his expense. He shrugged before placing the little red card back inside and bringing it to Junmyeon. He handed it off and smiled as Junmyeon held it to his chest.

 

“Yes, Junmyeon a witch. I have only ever known of one. The one who wrote that grimoire. To be sure, you can work some spells.”

 

“I kind of already tried, but that was before you kissed me.”

 

“Want to do it again?”

 

“The spells or the kiss?”

 

Yixing smirked before kissing Junmyeon again. He shook his head and leaned in further deepening the kiss with Yixing. Each kiss was gentle just like Yixing had been. When Junmyeon pulled back he looked down at the grimoire.

 

“Can this wait until tomorrow? Um, I’d like to just watch a movie with you or something.”

 

“That sounds lovely. Yes, it can wait.”

 

Junmyeon put the grimoire back on the desk and excused himself to the bathroom to get into some pajamas. He lent Yixing some and laughed when he realized they were covered in fluffy sheep. Yixing said he didn’t mind because sheep were really cute, but he would have preferred peaches.

 

When they settled on the bed Junmyeon got nervous. This was bordering on inappropriate but he didn’t care. Yixing had already said that when the semester was over he would like to date Junmyeon. Their thighs were touching and it felt really hot. Yixing seemed unaffected.

 

As the movie went on Junmyeon noticed that Yixing was starting to doze off. His head fell over onto Junmyeon’s shoulder and he just left him there only brushing his hair away from his face and leaning his cheek into Yixing’s hair.

 

It was a wonderful feeling to finally have someone who understood him, even if he had been a raven the entire time. It was then that Junmyeon understood all the hints that Yixing had dropped. The book of works from Poe, the catalog of birds, and a spell using a raven feather. He felt silly for not seeing all of the signs sooner.

 

“Hey, let’s go to sleep. I’ll turn the movie off.”

 

All Junmyeon got was a grunt and a little whine before he pushed Yixing down underneath the blankets. He watched as Yixing snuggled up with the extra pillow and searched for Junmyeon. He laid back and thought for a moment about what Yixing had said about him being a witch. So, he decided to test it a little bit. Junmyeon closed his eyes and concentrated on making the room dark. The lights all went off, and so did the television. He smiled as he covered himself. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be a witch instead.

 

Yixing’s arm found Junmyeon’s waist and he pulled them close kissing the back of Junmyeon’s head down his neck. It made his breath hitch a little when he kissed a certain sensitive spot. Yixing chuckled before burying his face between Junmyeon’s shoulder blades.

 

“Won’t it be nice that there will be no tapping, no gently rapping at your chamber door?”

 

“One more Poe quote and you’re sleeping outside on the balcony.”

 

 

 

(Paw Prints )

 

After that night Yixing helped Junmyeon back into the swing of coursework and lectures, but also came over to help with figuring out how to tell his parents that he was a witch. That talk went exactly how Yixing thought, they accepted him with open arms. No one was disappointed. In fact, Junmyeon’s parents were ecstatic at the endless possibilities that their son now had.

 

Yixing became pretty smitten with Junmyeon. Everyone noticed their chemistry and how they shyly glanced at each other during class. Chanyeol had come by once after school unannounced for some tutoring and found Junmyeon lip-locked with Yixing in his office. They both turned red and Chanyeol had promised not to tell anyone as long as Yixing gave him extra credit on the next test. Yixing huffed in disapproval but agreed when Chanyeol pushed. Junmyeon just laughed the entire time through the embarrassment.

 

As the semester went by Junmyeon concentrated on learning the ins and out of Therianthropy instead of blowing off the class. He actually started to learn a lot once he paid closer attention. He understood why each person he knew was the animal they were. He also learned to understand that even though they were shape-shifting, his friends could not speak, hence why Yixing could never really tell Junmyeon he was the raven.

 

Junmyeon passed the class with flying colors and not because of Yixing. He actually was very intelligent and wound up really enjoying learning everything about manifestations and animals forms. Many more of his friends found their forms and Junmyeon was no longer disappointed. Instead, he was encouraging and excited every time he found another one of his friends changing.

 

With the semester over and Yixing was no longer his professor, Junmyeon finally got the date he dreamed of. It was an amazing evening, Junmyeon would even go so much as to say it was ‘magical’. They started at Yixing’s apartment with a few spells from the grimoire. The library let Junmyeon have it after seeing he was the only witch in the school. Yixing got up at one point and Junmyeon got a little nervous.

 

“Here. I want you to have this.”

 

Yixing placed a leather-bound book on the table. It was gorgeous. The leather was black and stiff but soft to the touch. Junmyeon’s name was branded into the inside cover. As he opened it he realized it was completely void of words. The parchment was a rich tan in color but there were no spells or incantations.

 

“Why is it empty?”

 

“Because it’s yours to write in. You can put your own spells in here or your thoughts. It’s a grimoire of your own.”

 

Junmyeon stared at the book and smiled. He kissed Yixing’s cheek and giggled holding the book to his chest, “This is amazing. Thank you.”

 

After gazing at the new grimoire for a bit longer, Yixing took Junmyeon out of the house for a coffee date. It was the first time that Yixing really held Junmyeon’s hand in public. A few students saw them and snickered by Junmyeon remained unphased. The school knew about them now and had approved since Junmyeon was no longer Yixing’s student.

 

The day went on to Yixing bringing Junmyeon to his first occult store. Junmyeon found many things that piqued his interests and Yixing indulged him, buying whatever he wanted. With a big black bag in tow, they finished the evening with dinner and a movie.

 

After the movie was over Junmyeon saw that Yixing had a nervous look on his face. He was wringing his hands and biting down on his lip like he wanted to say something. Junmyeon nudged him and he shyly smiled.

 

“Do you want to move in with me before the next semester starts?”

 

Junmyeon smiled wide and hugged Yixing tight. He had been thinking about it for a while but didn’t exactly know how to tell him.

 

“Yes! I already started packing. I wanted to ask you but now I feel good that I didn’t have to.”

 

Yixing rolled his eyes and smiled holding Junmyeon tight.

 

Their relationship only flourished from there. Late night movies and snuggling on the couch. Coffee dates in the morning and watching the sunset in the evening. Every once in awhile Yixing would transform and go for an evening flight. Junmyeon would practice his spells when he did this, working through his own magic and writing in his grimoire.

 

Junmyeon laid back on the couch waiting for Yixing to come back from his trip around town. He had picked up his book of works by Edgar Allan Poe, turning to the page he was familiar with and smiled. Even though Yixing quoted it many times, and Junmyeon gave him trouble for it, this was still one of Junmyeon’s favorites. He ran his finger down the page and heard the balcony door open. He smiled sleepily to no one but himself knowing that it was Yixing.

 

 _Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,_  
_Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—_

 _While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,_  
_As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door._  
_“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—_  
_Only this and nothing more.”_

 

 

 

(Paw Prints ) **Epilogue** (Paw Prints )

 

The coffee was percolating and breakfast smelled amazing. Junmyeon moved out of the bedroom and into the kitchen watching as Yixing danced and sang to himself. This wasn’t normal Yixing behavior. Well, it was but today was special.

 

It was the first day of the new semester.

 

Junmyeon wrapped his arms around Yixing and smiled into his back, “Good morning.”

 

“Ah! Good morning, love.”

 

They ate in near silence as Yixing glanced over the newspaper and Junmyeon looked over his new schedule. He didn’t have many classes this time because the school was still adjusting to having a witch in a school for shape-shifters. They accommodated him the best they could and Junmyeon appreciated it.

 

Over the rest of the summer, Junmyeon got a lot better at controlling his powers. He learned that he could control the elements if he concentrated. It got easier with time and Yixing encouraged him to practice as much as possible.

 

In the courtyard, Junmyeon was using the water in the fountain to practice his magic. He would pick it up and swirl it around in circles. Chanyeol and Jongdae were entranced and clapping. They moved out of the way for a moment and Junmyeon saw a small penguin walking by. It stopped suddenly and watched as the water danced around them.

 

_“That’s so cool. This guy can basically bend water and I just look like I’m constantly in a suit.”_

 

Junmyeon looked down and quirked a brow feeling odd, “You look nice all the time though. Mighty dapper if I say so myself.”

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae looked at Junmyeon like he grew two heads. They gaped at him before Chanyeol whispered, “Um, Junmyeon … that penguin didn’t say anything.”

 

“Yes, he did. He said that I looked cool using my powers. He also said he looks like he’s in a suit constantly. Isn’t that right?”

 

The small penguin burst into a puff of smoke and mist. It was Chanyeol’s friend Kyungsoo. He looked completely surprised but pretty happy.

 

“Yeah, that’s what I said. You could hear me though?”

 

“Loud and clear.”

 

Yixing walked up and smiled large nodding his head in agreement with something, “Junmyeon, you can speak to zoomorphic forms?”

 

“I guess so! Isn’t that cool?”

 

“Yeah, because you’re the first of your kind and the faculty is going to love it.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because now you can help them wrangle all these animals and understand what is going on in their minds.”

 

Junmyeon smiled, but then looked around the campus a bit. There were dozens of people in different forms walking around. Some of them looked comfortable, while others looked completely dazed. As he came back to his small circle, he smiled and shrugged.

 

“Well, too bad mind reading doesn’t go both ways, unlike bird watching, eh?”


End file.
